Brittney Griner's Russia TIMELINE explained: From 9-year prison sentence in Russia to ultimate US return
WASHINGTON DC: Brittney Griner is back home after spending nine months in prison and was released on Thursday, December 8, in a prisoner exchange with Russia. President Joe Biden decided to trade the 'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout for the WNBA player. Griner was first detained on February 17. After she was found guilty, she was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison with no hopes of finding a way back to the US while the pressure here was rising for the officials. Let's take a look at the timeline of Brittney Griner and her arrest.
On February 17, 2022, the 32-year-old returned to Russia to play during the WNBA's off-season. However, she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki for the alleged possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil which is illegal in the country. Exactly one week after, Putin broke the news by invading Ukraine and declaring war bringing everything to a standstill. Not too long after, Griner's return and US's negation seemed impossible because of the wave of sanctions that were imposed on Russia, and Biden had called Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" during a press conference at the White House on March 16, as per ABC 7.